Written Answers

Thursday 23 March 2000

Scottish Executive

Access to Information

Cathy Peattie (Falkirk East) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will send copies of all consultation documents to each Scottish Parliament partner library.

Mr Jack McConnell: Yes. All partner libraries have direct access to all Scottish Executive consultation documents through the Internet. The Scottish Executive will also provide hard copies of consultation documents to any partner libraries which request them.

Access to Information

Fergus Ewing (Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-2406 by Sarah Boyack on 26 January 2000, why details of the contact between itself and the Minister of State at the Scotland Office are "not normally released" and why it will not detail the contact between the parties on this matter.

Sarah Boyack: Under the Code of Practice on Access to Scottish Executive Information, information will be disclosed unless the harm likely to arise from disclosure would outweigh the public interest in making the information available. In this case, the public interest in disclosure is outweighed by the harm which would be caused to the frankness and candour of internal discussion, including discussions between the Scottish Executive and the UK Government.

Childcare

Irene Oldfather (Cunninghame South) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it has taken to encourage the provision of childcare in Scotland.

Peter Peacock: We are investing over £432 million over three years in the Childcare Strategy and pre-school education. This will help provide good quality, affordable childcare in every neighbourhood. A further £42 million is also available for Sure Start Scotland to support vulnerable families with very young children.

Crofting

Alex Johnstone (North-East Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive in what way its land reform proposals will lead to the creation of new crofts and new crofting lands.

Ross Finnie: The proposals for creating new crofts and new crofting lands are explained in page 13 of the Land Reform Policy Group Recommendations For Action published in January 1999. The Partnership for Government indicated the intention of the Executive to legislate on the recommendations of the Land Reform Policy Group.

Disabled People

Michael Matheson (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what action it plans to take in order to improve transport provision for disabled people.

Sarah Boyack: I announced on 13 March that I have decided to set up a national group to advise the Executive on the transport needs of people with disabilities. The group, on which a variety of organisations concerned with people experiencing mobility problems, including blind and deaf people, will be represented, will be able to contribute to the formation of policies on access to all forms of public and private transport. The full remit and membership of the group will be announced following consultation with disability groups and transport bodies.

Domestic Abuse

Irene McGugan (North-East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what progress has been made towards implementing the recommendations in the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities’ 1998 report Guidance on Preparing and Implementing a Multi-agency Strategy to Tackle Violence Against Women .

Jackie Baillie: Monitoring and evaluating the implementation of this guidance is a matter for CoSLA.

Dumped Munitions

Michael Russell (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what action it has taken with regard to the phosphorous flares which were washed up on Troon beach and the Heads of Ayr in recent days, and what precautions it is taking to ensure public safety in the event of further finds of such flares.

Mr John Home Robertson: The Explosives Ordnance Disposal (EOD) Northern Diving Group based at Faslane has been collecting and disposing of the phosphorous flares washed up recently on beaches at a number of locations in south west Scotland. This is in line with well-established procedures involving liaison between the police, coastguard, local authorities and EOD personnel. Local authorities have placed warning notices on public beaches. Further warnings have also been relayed to the owners of private beaches and the general public either directly or through the media.

Dumped Munitions

Michael Russell (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will provide details of the density of dumped munitions, including flares, along the route of the proposed Northern Ireland to Scotland interconnnector and what action it is taking to address the possibility of work on the interconnector dislodging further munitions from the seabed.

Mr John Home Robertson: Reports of the survey work undertaken by the Marine Laboratory Aberdeen in the vicinity of Beaufort’s Dyke in 1995 and 1996 have been placed in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre as well as a copy of the 1996 report Review of ROV Survey Composite Video & Data Tabulation for Munitions-Related Seabed Debris undertaken by Linke & Associates Limited on behalf of Northern Ireland Electricity (NIE).

  In the light of this detailed survey, work the route of the interconnector has been selected by NIE to avoid munitions detected and the use of a remotely operated vehicle water-jetting system specified in the cable laying contract with its high-resolution detection equipment will make it possible to avoid any extraneous objects on the seabed. The risk of munitions disturbance is therefore regarded as minimal. Northern Ireland Electricity has given an assurance that they will continue to co-operate with the relevant authorities before and during execution of the works at sea.

Education

Mr Kenneth Macintosh (Eastwood) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether the timescale for consultation on national priorities for Scottish schools has been decided.

Mr Sam Galbraith: The consultation on National Priorities will commence shortly and I will ensure that the consultation period is long enough so that all those who want to be involved have the opportunity to do so.

Elderly People

Christine Grahame (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what the impact of the local government spending settlement is on elderly people.

Iain Gray: For the second year running, local authority expenditure and grant are both set to increase in real terms. Much of the expenditure will benefit older people.

Enterprise

Dr Elaine Murray (Dumfries) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether any support is available to enable firms who trade overseas to promote the teaching of foreign languages within their organisation.

Henry McLeish: The network of 13 Export Partnerships across Scotland provides co-ordinated support to companies to help increase their competitiveness in international markets. Companies also benefit from the National Languages for Export Campaign, run by British Trade International, which helps UK companies to develop appropriate language competencies to succeed in non-English speaking markets. In addition, the launch of the Scottish University for Industry in the autumn will provide easier access to learning for individuals and employers.

Enterprise

Mike Watson (Glasgow Cathcart) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what assurances it has had from CGU that Perth will remain a significant centre in the merged company with Norwich Union and that the jobs there will be of a high quality.

Henry McLeish: It is a matter of public record that CGU and Norwich Union confirmed, in their joint press release, that Perth, which was identified in the press release as an important operating location, will be maintained following the merger of both companies.

Environment

Andrew Wilson (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what the expected date is by which local authorities will be required to register land on the contaminated land register regulated by the Scottish Environment Protection Agency.

Sarah Boyack: Local authorities will not be required to register land on a contaminated land register by a specific date. Following implementation of the new contaminated land regime, which, subject to Parliament, we hope to bring into force in Scotland early in June this year, it will be up to each local authority, as the enforcing authority, to identify contaminated land within its area and to record in a public register all regulatory action taken in respect of its remediation. In the case of contaminated land identified as a special site, the enforcing authority will be the Scottish Environment Protection Agency.

  Local authorities will have 15 months from the date of the commencement of the enabling regulations to produce strategies for inspecting their areas to identify contaminated land.

Fertility Treatment

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive whether the male fertility treatment intra cytoplasmic sperm injection is available throughout Scotland via the NHS.

Susan Deacon: Not all health boards currently provide intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) for their residents. I have, however, asked health boards and NHS Trusts throughout Scotland to work towards the implementation of the report of the Expert Advisory Group on Infertility Services in Scotland which envisaged the selection of patients for ICSI treatment on the basis of criteria agreed locally by the four tertiary centres providing this service and funded by the NHS.

  Progress towards this and the other recommendations in the report will be as resources permit and as determined locally by health boards and NHS Trusts, bearing in mind their existing clinical priorities of cancer, coronary heart disease and mental health.

  I shall be reviewing the position early next year.

Fertility Treatment

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what initiatives it is taking to address male infertility.

Susan Deacon: The report of the Expert Advisory Group on Infertility Services in Scotland was issued to health boards and NHS Trusts on 11 February. It recommends couple-based care for the management and delivery of infertility services. Health boards and NHS Trusts have been asked to work towards the implementation of the report as resources permit and bearing in mind their existing clinical priorities, which are cancer, coronary heart disease and mental health.

Forestry

Euan Robson (Roxburgh and Berwickshire) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will invite the Forestry Commission to enter into sales or leases to community woodland trusts and other community bodies of small woodlands peripheral to its main holdings.

Mr John Home Robertson: The subject of this question relates to matters undertaken by Forest Enterprise. I have asked its Chief Executive, Dr Bob McIntosh, to arrange for a reply to be given.

Gas Safety

Alex Fergusson (South of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to ensure that household gas consumers are made aware of the importance of using contractors who are "CORGI" registered when carrying out works related to gas installations.

Henry McLeish: Gas safety is a reserved matter. I understand that HSE, which has responsibility for these matters, undertakes a seasonal gas safety advertising campaign each year. This campaign emphasises the need for regular maintenance and servicing of appliances by CORGI registered installers. As part of this campaign, HSE runs a freephone Gas Safety Advice Line, based in Glasgow and publicised on winter gas bills issued by gas suppliers.

Health Innovation

Mr Brian Monteith (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will publish (a) the brief for Development of A Sex Advice Service with "Off the Record" , Grampian Health Board’s successful bid to the Innovation Fund for Children’s Services and (b) details of the criteria used by the Panel to decide which bids were successful.

Susan Deacon: The aim of the Innovation Fund for Children’s Services is to develop innovative approaches to child health services and to encourage the development of combined and integrated services addressing inequalities in health and care with an emphasis on inter-agency working.

  Forth Valley Health Board submitted a successful application form for the development of a Sex Advice Service with "Off the Record". I have placed a copy of the application form in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre which provides a brief of the project.

  In considering applications for funding, the panel ensured that the successful projects reflected these aims and also took into account the key themes of Designed to care, Towards a Healthier Scotland, the report of the Review of Acute Services and the Priorities and Planning Guidance for the NHS in Scotland for 1999-2002.

Housing

Mr John McAllion (Dundee East) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what recent discussions it has had with Scottish Homes regarding the outstanding debt associated with transferred housing stock.

Ms Wendy Alexander: The Scottish Executive closely monitors Scottish Homes’ financial position, including the outstanding debt associated with its transferred housing stock.

Infectious Salmon Anaemia

Maureen Macmillan (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether, in the light of the recent publication of the report of the Joint Government and Industry Working Group on Infectious Salmon Anaemia, it proposes to ensure that there will be facilities for rendering ensiled salmon waste in Scotland in the future.

Mr John Home Robertson: The recycling of waste by rendering represents a business opportunity for the private sector with environmental and disease containment benefits. A number of companies are known to have an interest in this and have plans at various stages of development.

Justice

Dr Richard Simpson (Ochil) (Lab): To ask the First Minister what plans the Scottish Executive has to review the working of the Scottish Criminal Cases Review Commission.

Donald Dewar: The Scottish Criminal Cases Review Commission, as an executive Non-Departmental Public Body, is subject to the usual framework of control, accountability and review which applies to all such bodies.

  Comprehensive policy and financial management reviews take place at least once every five years, more frequently if necessary. It is planned that the first such review will be in 2004.

  In addition to these formal, comprehensive reviews, the Commission is also subject to ongoing monitoring by the Scottish Executive Justice Department.

Justice

Ms Margo MacDonald (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-2271 by Mr Jim Wallace on 26 November 1999, how many warrants have been issued relating to people resident in Scotland for (a) the interception of communications and (b) interference with property since 1 July 1999.

Mr Jim Wallace: Since 1 July 1999, 204 warrants have been issued by Scottish Ministers under the Interception of Communications Act 1985 for serious crime purposes. I understand that 35 warrants have been issued in Scotland under Part III of the Police Act 1997 over the same period.

Justice

Michael Russell (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what consideration it has given to Lord Johnston’s statement paying tribute to Shirley McKie at the conclusion of her case in Glasgow High Court in May 1999 and whether it will encourage Strathclyde Police and the Scottish Criminal Records Office to make statements apologising to Ms McKie.

Mr Jim Wallace: I am aware of the statement. It would not be appropriate for me to make any comment at this stage.

Justice

Mrs Margaret Ewing (Moray) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many prosecutions have taken place under the Litter Act 1983 and what were the total amounts levied in fines as a result in each year since 1990.

Mr Jim Wallace: Since April 1991, litter offences have been prosecuted under the Environmental Protection Act 1990. The number of prosecutions for litter offences under this and the previous Litter Act 1983, the number where a charge was proved, and the total amount of fines imposed for these in each year are given below. These figures exclude fixed penalties, on which information is not collected centrally.

  Prosecutions and fines imposed for litter offences (as main offence), 1990-98

  

 

1990 

  

1991 

  

1992 

  

1993 

  

1994 

  

1995 

  

1996 

  

1997 

  

1998 

  



Number of 

  prosections 

  

181 

  

122 

  

83 

  

56 

  

48 

  

30 

  

29 

  

50 

  

41 

  



Number with 

  charge proved 

  

153 

  

101 

  

67 

  

51 

  

43 

  

26 

  

20 

  

45 

  

34 

  



Total amount 

  of fines imposed (£) 

  

6,665 

  

4,970 

  

3,280 

  

2,415 

  

2,730 

  

1,485 

  

1,260 

  

2,500 

  

1,940

Local Government Finance

Mr Gil Paterson (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what the total value is of financial savings which have been made across Scotland following the recent local government financial settlement.

Mr Jack McConnell: Next year’s settlement provides for real terms increases. Government Supported Expenditure (GSE) is set to rise by 3.7% and Aggregate External Finance (AEF) by 2.9%.

Local Government Finance

Mr Kenneth Gibson (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what the financial indebtedness is of each local authority relating to the total interest charges incurred for paying invoices after the due date to (a) all firms and (b) firms employing fewer than 50 people, since the introduction of the Late Payment of Commercial Debts (Interest) Act 1998.

Mr Jack McConnell: This information is not held centrally.

Local Government Finance

Janis Hughes (Glasgow Rutherglen) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has any plans to provide extra financial assistance to local authorities to help them deal with pay awards.

Mr Jack McConnell: The local government settlement for 2000-01 provides for Government Supported Expenditure (GSE) to rise by 3.7% to £6.746 million. Pay is a matter for local authorities themselves to consider when setting their budgets and determining their priorities in the light of their own local circumstances.

Mining

Mrs Lyndsay McIntosh (Central Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what is the number, type and location of opencast mines currently in operation and to list any outstanding applications for opencast mining.

Sarah Boyack: Information on the number and type of opencast mines is given in the following table. This is taken from the British Geological Survey’s Directory of Mines and Quarries 1998 . Details of subsequent approvals and outstanding applications are not held centrally.

  


 


Coal 

  

Clay 

  and Shale 

  

Hard 

  Rock 

  

Limestone 

  

Sand 

  and Gravel 

  

Sandstone 

  

Silica 

  Sand 

  

Others1




Aberdeen 

  City 

  







1 

  




2 

  












Aberdeenshire 

  







16 

  

1 

  

18 

  












Angus 

  




1 

  

2 

  




6 

  












Argyll & 

  Bute 

  







5 

  

2 

  

5 

  












Borders 

  







2 

  




4 

  

2 

  









Clackmannan 

  

1 

  




1 

  


















Dumfries 

  &Galloway 

  







2 

  




18 

  

12 

  









Dundee City 

  



























East Ayrshire 

  

13 

  

1 

  

1 

  




1 

  












East Dunbartonshire 

  













2 

  




1 

  






East Lothian 

  

1 

  




2 

  

1 

  

1 

  












East Renfrewshire 

  







1 

  


















Edinburgh 

  City 

  







3 

  


















Falkirk 

  

4 

  

1 

  

2 

  




2 

  

1 

  









Fife 

  

6 

  

1 

  

9 

  

1 

  

8 

  

1 

  

2 

  






Glasgow 

  City 

  













1 

  












Highland 

  







12 

  

4 

  

23 

  

14 

  

1 

  






Inverclyde 

  







1 

  


















Midlothian 

  

3 

  







1 

  

1 

  












Moray 

  







4 

  

1 

  

8 

  

2 

  









North Ayrshire 

  







4 

  

2 

  

3 

  




3 

  

2 

  



North Lanarkshire 

  

12 

  




7 

  







1 

  

1 

  

1 

  



Orkney 

  













2 

  

5 

  









Perth & 

  Kinross 

  

2 

  




2 

  

1 

  

5 

  







1 

  



Renfrewshire 

  







2 

  


















Shetland 

  







8 

  




4 

  

4 

  




1 

  



South Ayrshire 

  







2 

  

1 

  










2 

  



South Lanarkshire 

  

4 

  

1 

  

2 

  




8 

  

1 

  




1 

  



Stirling 

  













5 

  












West Dunbartonshire 

  







2 

  


















West Lothian 

  

2 

  

2 

  







1 

  




1 

  

1 

  



Western 

  Isles 

  







10 

  




10 

  












  Notes:

  1. Minerals (barytes, fireclay, honestone and talc) with less than five opencast mines in Scotland have been grouped together.

New Deal

Scott Barrie (Dunfermline West) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what impact the New Deal has made on long-term youth unemployment in Scotland.

Henry McLeish: Employment policy is reserved to the UK Government, which therefore takes the lead on the funding and delivery of the New Deal throughout Great Britain, although in close consultation with its partners, including the Scottish Executive. Many partner organisations at local level also provide New Deal services under contract or provide funds and other resources, including training funds to enhance the quality of New Deal in their areas. The public and voluntary sector organisations, which contribute to the New Deal in this way, fall within the remit of the Scottish Executive.

  Over 21,000 young people have found jobs through the New Deal for Young People up to the end of December 1999. Youth unemployment in Scotland has fallen by 5,000 since February 1998, a fall of 55%.

PETS Passport Scheme

Kay Ullrich (West of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-4525 by Ross Finnie on 2 March 2000, whether it will detail the actions taken and timescale involved in relation to preparation for the implementation of the PETS Passport Pilot Scheme, prior to Ross Finnie’s letter to MSPs on the subject.

Ross Finnie: Professor Kennedy's Group (known as the Advisory Group on Quarantine) was set up to look at whether the existing system of quarantine for entry into the UK should be modernised. The group reported in September 1998 recommending radical changes. This report was issued for public consultation. Responses received were strongly in favour of the Kennedy proposals. A main recommendation was that sufficient time should be allowed for a smooth and orderly transition to the new arrangements, the timescale initially being one of three years.

  Since submission of the Kennedy report, representatives from the administrations of the British Isles authorities have met regularly to agree and work-up the new arrangements. This has included approaches to other countries about providing the necessary health certification, discussions with laboratories in Europe where blood samples will be tested after vaccination against rabies, discussions with microchip manufacturers and with the transport operators i.e. airlines and shipping agents.

  With ministerial colleagues' agreement, Mr Nick Brown, MP announced on 26 March 1999 that a pilot scheme to trial the proposed arrangements for entry into the UK was to be introduced within the next 12 months. This has been successfully achieved, with the launch of the limited scheme on the 28 February 2000. We shall continue to work with the administrations of the British Isles authorities towards full scale implementation by April 2001 as originally planned.

Parliamentary Questions

Richard Lochhead (North-East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive on how many occasions it has asked back-bench MSPs to lodge oral parliamentary questions in order to enable it to make an announcement or for any other purpose and whether it will provide a list of such questions, including the dates on which they were lodged and answered.

Mr Tom McCabe: No equivalent of the process by which the Scottish Executive may inspire the tabling of a written parliamentary question (referred to in questions S1W-4815 and 5379) exists in relation to oral parliamentary questions. The random selection process for oral questions and the limits on when oral questions could be answered mean that such a process would not be suited to bringing matters to the attention of the Parliament.

  Members from all political parties have followed up discussions/contacts with Ministers by tabling questions for oral answer or by asking supplementary questions. Such instances cannot be identified from records held by the Executive.

Parliamentary Questions

Richard Lochhead (North-East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-4815 by Mr Tom McCabe on 14 March 2000, how it identified those written parliamentary questions lodged by back-bench MSPs which it inspired.

Mr Tom McCabe: The use of inspired parliamentary questions was considered by the Procedures Committee at its meeting on 15 February, and was acknowledged as a useful method for bringing matters to the attention of the Parliament. Without them some of the wide range of activities of the Executive, which cannot all be the subject of statements or debates in the Parliament, would simply not be noted in the Parliament at all. I am sure that the majority of members would prefer a mechanism such as this to alert them to Executive activity rather than learning of them third-hand through the media. Indeed members of non-Executive parties ,  and in particular Mr Lochhead’s party ,  have said so on a number of occasions.

  Compared with the total number of parliamentary questions, the number inspired by the Executive is very small – only one in 50. Several members have asked more questions than the entire number of inspired questions. The cost of answering inspired questions is also much less than that of answering ordinary questions as, by their very nature, the information presented in the answer is already available and does not require further work.

  As I indicated in my response to S1W-4815, questions inspired by the Executive are not separately identified in our records. The list provided in that response was compiled by calculating the interval between the lodging of each question and the lodging of the answer (the relevant questions being answered normally within a few days), followed by examination of the text of the questions and answers thus identified. This was found to give a reliable indication of questions which had been inspired by the Executive.

Population

Shona Robison (North-East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what action is planned to address depopulation in Dundee.

Ms Wendy Alexander: The continuing trend of population decline in Dundee is a cause for concern for the Scottish Executive. The Scottish Executive, through the Enterprise Network, is committed to tackling the causes of population decline. The local enterprise company fully recognises the problem of depopulation in Dundee and they are engaging with their partners in the public and private sectors to address the causes of decline. They expect a gradual reversal of this trend and a stabilisation of the population over the forthcoming years. The Scottish Executive also recognises the importance of building strong and sustainable communities and has recently confirmed its continuing support for the four Social Inclusion Partnerships operating in Dundee. The Scottish Executive is providing funding of £3.6 million to the four SIPs in the current financial year and is aware that these SIPS have been making good progress in tackling the problems of social exclusion.

Protection of Wild Mammals (Scotland) Bill

David McLetchie (Lothians) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive whether, if the terms and effects of the Protection of Wild Mammals (Scotland) Bill require a financial resolution to be moved under rule 9.12 of the Parliament’s Standing Orders, it intends to lodge the necessary motion to allow such a resolution to be made.

Mr Jack McConnell: I understand that the Presiding Officer has intimated that no financial resolution is required for this Member’s Bill.

Rape

Mr Gil Paterson (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will provide details of the number of reports of rape on an annual basis for the last five years (a) which were made to the police or relevant authority, (b) where a prosecution did not take place with a breakdown of the reasons why, (c) where a prosecution was proceeded with and (d) where the case proceeded to prosecution and where the prosecution was abandoned with the reasons for abandonment, and whether it will provide an estimate of the number of cases of rape which are unreported annually.

Mr Jim Wallace: We do not hold all the information requested. The available information is set out below:

  Number of rapes recorded by the police:

  





1994 

  

1995 

  

1996 

  

1997 

  

1998 

  



Number Recorded 

  by Police1


395 

  

  

403 

  

  

447 

  

  

570

  

613

  



  Notes:

  1. Grampian Police include attempted rape in their figures for rape.

  There are no figures for the number of rapes recorded by police which resulted in reports to Procurators Fiscal for consideration of proceedings and, therefore, no reliable basis for estimating the number of reports which did not result in a prosecution.

  Number of persons proceeded against for rape and results, 1994-1998

  





1994

  

1995

  

1996

  

1997

  

1998

  



Persons Proceeded Against 

  

63 

  

49 

  

81 

  

75 

  

77 

  



Persons with Charge Proved

  

36 

  

32 

  

41 

  

35 

  

43 

  



Proceedings dropped

  

 1

  




 2

  




 1

  



Proceedings discontinued

  













 1

  



Deserted simpliciter

  







 1

  




 1

  



Plea not guilty accepted

  

 2

  

 2

  

 2

  

 1

  

 3

  



Acquitted not guilty

  

14

  

11

  

24

  

31

  

20

  



Acquitted not proven

  

10

  

 4

  

11

  

 8

  

 8

  



  Persons proceeded against for rape, but subsequently convicted of a lesser charge are not included in these figures. They include persons prosecuted for attempted rape and assault with attempted rape (but not assault with intent to rape).

  The statistics dealing with court proceedings and recorded crime are not directly comparable as a person may be proceeded against for more than one crime involving more than one victim, or a crime may be reported in one year and proceedings taken in a subsequent year.

Section 2A

Trish Godman (West Renfrewshire) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what evidence it has that literature promoting homosexuality would be purchased and distributed to children by (a) local authorities and (b) individual schools in the event of the repeal of section 2A of the Local Government Act 1986.

Mr Sam Galbraith: The Executive has no such evidence. We are not aware of any instances of a Scottish local authority or school distributing literature promoting homosexuality to children: nor do we know of any local authority or school which has any intention to distribute such literature. The existing safeguards have a good track record in protecting children from potentially inappropriate behaviour and the additional measures we are taking will further strengthen them.

Sheltered Housing

Mr David Davidson (North-East Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what concerns it has about the effect of the increase in charges of almost 20% to be levied on elderly residents in sheltered accommodation in Aberdeenshire following the local government finance settlement and whether it has any plans to address this situation directly.

Iain Gray: That is a matter for the council. I understand that the increase relates to charges for the warden service in local authority accommodation. Residents currently pay approximately £6 per week, which is one third of the cost. Other providers of supported accommodation charge the full cost. The council is increasing the charge to approximately £7 per week.

Stalkers

Karen Whitefield (Airdrie and Shotts) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it is taking to fulfil its commitment in Making it Work Together: A Programme for Government to review by 2001 the law on stalking and harassment.

Mr Jim Wallace: I announced last year that the Executive would be looking at the law as it relates to stalking and harassment and that we would consult widely in considering the need for any changes to the law or its practice. We are, therefore, issuing a consultation paper today which considers options for change and seeks the widest possible views on the way forward. The consultation period closes on 9 June.

Sustainable Development

Tavish Scott (Shetland) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it is taking to develop "quality of life" indicators to measure progress in delivering sustainable development.

Sarah Boyack: The Ministerial Group on Sustainable Scotland, which I chair, has started work on the development of indicators of sustainable development for Scotland. A research contract will be let shortly to examine existing good practice in Scotland, to compare that with the best across the world and to propose a paper to open discussion across Scotland. It is hoped to produce, by the autumn, a set of indicators of practical value for trial in the next financial year.

Sustainable Development

Tavish Scott (Shetland) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive how it intends to monitor the indicators adopted by Her Majesty's Government as set out in the document A Better Quality of Life .

Sarah Boyack: The document A Better Quality of Life , published before devolution, makes it clear that sustainable development is a devolved matter which it is for the Scottish Executive to take forward reflecting Scottish institutions, landscape, culture and way of life.

  The Ministerial Group on Sustainable Scotland, which I chair, has begun work on indicators which will reflect Scottish life and the priorities for sustainable development which I outlined to the Scottish Parliament on 3 February. In that work, the indicators mentioned in A Better Quality of Life may provide a useful reference but there are no plans for monitoring them.

Television

David Mundell (South of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what concerns it has about the possible take-over of Border Television, and whether it intends to make any representations to Her Majesty's Government on this matter.

Mr Sam Galbraith: It is important that Border Television should provide a high quality service to viewers in Scotland in line with their licence obligations. The Executive keeps in touch with the Government on a range of matters, including broadcasting.

Tourism

Nick Johnston (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive whether visitors to Scotland will be able to reserve accommodation through project Ossian by June 2000 given that the tourist industry, by 1 March 2000, had not provided bedroom allocations to project Ossian.

Henry McLeish: It is only necessary for businesses to provide bedroom allocations to Project Ossian when they are trading by e-commerce. The e-commerce system will be available by the end of June.

Tourism

Nick Johnston (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will place the 640 replies to the review of the tourist industry received from the tourist industry on the Internet.

Henry McLeish: There are no plans to do so. However copies will be placed in SPICe.

Transport

Dorothy-Grace Elder (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions it has had with other bodies or organisations in relation to the effect on local shops of the proposed bus corridors in Shettleston, Glasgow and elsewhere.

Sarah Boyack: None. As I said in reply to Ms Sandra White's question on 24 February, this is a matter for the council as local roads authority.

Transport

Dorothy-Grace Elder (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it regards taxis and private hire cars as methods of public transport for the purposes of its transport strategy.

Sarah Boyack: The Scottish Executive recognises that hackney cabs and private hire vehicles (PHVs) have a role to play in public transport provision. While not operating to specific timetables, they can provide a convenient alternative means of transport to the public. They can also have a role in improving accessibility for those who do not have access to a car, and in reducing the need of some to own a car and thus reducing car usage.

  In developing Local Transport Strategies, local authorities have been asked to address the scope for the promotion of taxis and PHVs in overall local transport provision in their areas.

Trust Ports

Mr David Davidson (North-East Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive why it believes that directors of Scottish trust ports will be more accountable if they are appointed rather than elected as at present.

Sarah Boyack: Most trust ports’ board members are appointed following nomination by the various interest groups represented on the board rather than elected. There are trust ports where the majority of appointments to boards are made through local elections but they will be able to continue on this basis, subject to compliance with the principles of the guidelines Modernising Trust Ports: A Guide to Good Governance published in January 2000. The guidance is aimed at providing a more open, accountable and transparent elective process which will represent the entire community of stakeholders with an interest in each port’s activities.

Trust Ports

Mr David Davidson (North-East Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive why it has decided to accept all of the guidelines in the Department of the Environment, Transport and the Regions publication Modernising Trust Ports: A Guide to Good Governance without examining whether they apply to Scottish trust ports, and in particular to Scottish fishery ports, and why it did not follow the example of Northern Ireland ministers in reserving the right to introduce guidelines which accord with the specific needs of its own trust ports.

Sarah Boyack: The Scottish Executive was closely involved in developing the guidelines Modernising Trust Ports: A Guide to Good Governance . The guidance was drawn up following wide consultation with the trust sector and its representative bodies. The guidelines apply to the Scottish trust ports sector and the Executive endorses the underlying principles of open, accountable and transparent operation of trust ports. The guide sets national standards of accountability as a benchmark to provide good practice for the future. The guide also makes clear that the Executive has the option to amend these standards for application to the trust ports sector in Scotland.

Trust Ports

Mr David Davidson (North-East Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive why it believes that it is necessary to change the board structure of trust ports such as Peterhead or Fraserburgh, given their track records in running their ports.

Sarah Boyack: The Scottish Executive recognises the important role and contribution of the harbours at Peterhead and Fraserburgh for the local economy, and in particular for the fishing industry. Modernising Trust Ports: A Guide to Good Governance , published in January 2000 sets out standards of accountability for the trust ports sector. It encourages ports to overhaul the appointment process based on the best commercial and government practice. The extent to which any change to board structure is required will depend on whether a port’s existing board structure fully reflects all of the interests of the local communities and stakeholders which the port serves. An implementation guide is planned to be published this spring to assist ports in undertaking this process.

Village Halls

Michael Russell (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what funding is presently available for the building of village halls in rural communities (a) directly from the Executive and (b) through grants from local authorities funded by the local government financial settlement.

Ross Finnie: Funding for village halls is met from the Executive’s Local Capital Grants Scheme, which is one of three elements of the Scottish Rural Partnership Fund. Financial provision for the total fund in 2000-01 is £2.8 million. I am not yet in a position to say how that total amount will be apportioned among the three elements of the fund. Local authorities have discretionary powers to pay grants. It is entirely a matter for individual local authorities how much they make available for any specific purpose.

Village Halls

Michael Russell (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what criteria are presently applied in determining funding for the building of village halls.

Ross Finnie: Funding for village halls is met from the Executive’s Local Capital Grants Scheme, which is one of three elements of the Scottish Rural Partnership Fund. The purpose of the scheme is to assist local voluntary, youth and community organisations to provide new or upgrade existing premises for educational, social and recreational activities. SED Circular 21/1990 – a copy of which is in SPICe – sets out the details of the scheme, including the criteria to be met.

Village Halls

Michael Russell (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what proportion of the cost of building a village hall it normally meets.

Ross Finnie: Funding for village halls is met from the Executive’s Local Capital Grants Scheme, which is one of three elements of the Scottish Rural Partnership Fund. On a competitive basis, the scheme may provide up to 50% of eligible costs, subject to a maximum of £100,000.

Village Halls

Michael Russell (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has considered assisting the villagers of Tarbrax in South Lanarkshire with funding for the building of a village hall.

Ross Finnie: The application by South Lanarkshire Council, on behalf of Tarbrax Village Hall Association, for funding towards the building of a new village hall in Tarbrax, is one of 40 bids under consideration. I hope to be able to announce decisions on awards soon.